Boudoir

tonymp · Feb 26, 2009

Just saying hi to everyone - this is my first post for quite a while so go easy LOL.

I'm just wondering how many Boudoir photographers frequent the forum - I like to hear from fellow boudoir shooters and what they are working on at present. Here in the UK, boudoir photography is just taking off.

I shoot mostly monochrome neg film with medium format cameras for WAG's but use digital for quicky jobs or as digital 'polaroids' to keep down costs.

I prefer natural settings rather than studio set-ups and natural light is my first choice, though I do have a four-head strobe set-up. I also enjoy using odd-ball lighting such as single domestic light bulbs as a main light source.
I've posted a couple of test-pose candid shots in the style I shoot. I've just had to replace my monitor after my old faithful died on me last week and had to get hold of this one in a hurry and I'm still trying to get it set up correctly so comments on contrast etc welcome.

#1 .. Shot with Jessica - candid natural light plus a tiny ring-flash ( guide number of 5) just to give a little fill. Camera used: D200

Image #2.. is a stock pose I use which is a favourite with the WAG's - this is the original un-posed shot of Tracy who was painting her toe-nails during a shoot when I grabbed the shot. The camera used was an old Dimage 7i which I used as a polaroid for my Bronicas.

Regards...
Tony

Big Mike · Feb 27, 2009

I like the style you have here. I've seen too many boudoir shots that don't looks 'polished' enough...and often it's the backgrounds that ruin the feel of the shot. You have nice clean, natural looking backgrounds here and I think that works well with the natural lighting.

tonymp · Feb 27, 2009

Big Mike said:
I like the style you have here. I've seen too many boudoir shots that don't looks 'polished' enough...and often it's the backgrounds that ruin the feel of the shot. You have nice clean, natural looking backgrounds here and I think that works well with the natural lighting.

Thanks for that Mike - we all have our own way of working I suppose.

I've found that boudoir works best for me with natural, rather than pre-propped studio backgrounds/set-ups - I prefer my subjects to actually interact with the surroundings rather than just placing them in a propped set-up.

Most of the ladies for whom I shoot, have absolutely no aspirations of being models - they are only interested in intimate shots that they can give to their partners - they want sexy but not too revealing shots so, nudity is quite rare.

I've also found that the last thing most of them want is the ubiquiteous glamour style 'hand-bra' shots or the likes which makes a pleasant change from the usual static glamour poses.

I am very fortunate that I have a young and attractive partner of nearly six years and many of my stock poses have come from simply watching her when for instance she's getting ready to go out or reading or doing the myriad of personal things a woman does in her life - it's great to be able to grab shots and refine them into stock poses and it's surprising just how many different poses can be obtained that way.

I work from home and although I have a fully equipped studio, I still prefer to use differing rooms in my home as settings and as much natural light as possible. The same goes when I go out to the ladies homes I try and use as much of the home as possible and natural light for the shots.
Tony

schumionbike · Feb 27, 2009

Beautiful shots, I like number 2 the best. I agree that this look more natural than studio shots and invite more imagination than other styles.

tonymp · Feb 27, 2009

schumionbike said:
Beautiful shots, I like number 2 the best. I agree that this look more natural than studio shots and invite more imagination than other styles.

Thank you for your kind comments and you quite right about natural settings & imagination - I think the answer is that our eye's accept images where neither the background nor the subject compete much more readily as long as there is a balance or relationship between the background and subject.

For me, busy backgrounds don't usually work if the subject looks toward the camera - it's natural to be drawn to the subject's eyes and once this happens, I find the background begins to compete and distract and unbalances the shot so I try to give the subjects something to 'do' in the shots to keep the equlibrium and shoot the image in a voyeuristic manner.

Boudoir photography is the one genre that allows this and I find women can look far more 'sexy' in underwear than when totally nude - it's what is not shown rather than what is that makes her look sexy.

To illustrate this I'll post a throwaway shot of Chrissie, a pro Burmese model who popped round for some shots for her facebook and who is currently appearing in a UK reality TV show with Paris Hilton right now - you'll have to excuse the sharpness of the shot as it was hand-held at 1/6 sec & the 85mm lens wide open and was only a natural lighting pose test but, it shows that a woman can look very sexy without showing hardly anything.
That's what I love about Boudoir photography..
Tony

TheBoudoirBoutique · Oct 8, 2009

We are just starting boudoir for our studio here in the St Louis MO (USA) area. It seems like in the states it's really starting to take off too.

craig · Oct 8, 2009

Love the light in these. Other then that I do not see these shots as effective. I think if I put myself in the mindset of your client I would have an easier time understanding.

I do see this market as taking off. Sure beats shooting soccer games.

Love & Bass